Marble may have some aesthetically desirable properties. For example, marble may exhibit an opaque, white, and/or pink color in appearance. Furthermore, marble may exhibit a shiny appearance. Such properties may contribute to the demand for marble. However, marble may be unsuitable in a variety of construction scenarios. Particularly, marble may be too heavy of a material (at 2563 kg/m3 density) for application in areas where safety in case of disaster may be a concern (e.g., an earthquake zone, a liquefaction region, etc.).
Marble is a stone that may need to be naturally mined from the Earth. As such, it may be extracted having irregularities in form and composition. As such, marble having certain sizes and properties may be sold at a premium because of scarcity. In addition, the mining of marble may have adverse environmental impacts. For example, the mining of marble may involve the use of solvents and chemicals which may contaminate soil and ground water with toxins.